JULIO CESAR LA CRUZ – 81 KG

Date of Birth : 11/08/1989

Place of Birth : Camaguey

Height : 180cm

Residence : Camaguey

Unmatched on the world scene in recent years at Light Heavyweight, La Cruz has won the past two AIBA World Championships in spectacular style, and the Cuban team captain earned a quota for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games through his World Series of Boxing success. At 26, the Cuban is approaching his prime years, but stunningly lost a continental event when he was defeated by Albert Ramirez in the AMBC American Confederation Boxing Championships. Losing is not something La Cruz is used to, and he will be aiming for a third successive title in Doha.

Past Results

2015 – AMBC American Confederation Boxing Championships (Vargas, VEN) 2nd place – 81KG Lost to Albert Ramirez (VEN) 3:0 in the final; Won against Juan Carlos Carrillo (COL) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against Carlos Andres Mina (ECU) 3:0 in the quarter-final

2015 – Toronto 2015 Panamerican Games (Toronto, CAN) 1st place – 81KG Won against Albert Ramirez (VEN) 3:0 in the final; Won against Juan Carlos Carrillo (COL) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against Carlos Andres Mina (ECU) 3:0 in the quarter-final

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 Final – 81KG Won against Nurdaulet Zharmanov (KAZ) 3:0

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 Semi-final – 81KG Won against Carlos Mina (ECU) WO

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 14th Round – 81KG Won against Oleksandr Khyzniak (UKR) 3:0

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 12th Round – 81KG Lost to Carlos Mina (ECU) 2:1

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 10th Round – 81KG Won against Gamzat Gazaliyev (RUS) 3:0

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 8th Round – 81KG Won against Peter Mullenberg (NED) 3:0

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 6th Round – 81KG Won against John Newell (ENG) 3:0

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 4th Round – 81KG Won against Shi Guojun (CHN) 3:0

2015 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 2nd Round – 81KG Won against Nabil Kassel (ALG) TKO 4th round

2014 – Cuban National Championships 1st place – 81KG Won against Emmanuel Reyes (CUB) 3:0 in the final; Won against Enevadi Veguet (CUB) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against Luis Len (CUB) 3:0 in the quarter-final; Won against Yasmany Reyes (CUB) 3:0 in the first preliminary round

2014 – Central American & Caribbean Games (Veracruz, MEX) 1st place – 81KG Won against Juan Carrillo (COL) 3:0 in the final; Won against Rogelio Romero (MEX) TKO 2nd round in the semi-final; Won against Andrew Fermin (TRI) 3:0 in the quarter-final; Won against Jose Moya (CRC) 3:0 in the first preliminary round

2014 – Mohamed VI Trophy (Marrakech, MAR) 1st place – 81KG Won against Abderrahmane Salah Araby (EGY) KO 2nd round in the final; Won against Mohamed Assaghair (MAR) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against M’Backe Sarr (SEN) 3:0 in the quarter-final

2014 – World Series of Boxing Season 2015 Pre-Season Match – 81KG Won against Hrvoje Sep (CRO) 3:0

2014 – World Series of Boxing Season 2013/2014 Finals – 81KG Won against Mikhail Dauhaliavets (BLR) 3:0

2014 – World Series of Boxing Season 2013/2014 Semi-finals – 81KG Won against Aleksandr Khotyantsev (RUS) 3:0

2014 – 1st Central American & Caribbean Games Qualifier (Tijuana, MEX) 1st place – 81KG Won against Juan Carrillo (COL) TKO 2nd round in the final; Won against Adrian Biscette (BAR) TKO 2nd round in the semi-final; Won against Melanio Flores (PAN) TKO 2nd round in the quarter-final

2014 – World Series of Boxing Season 2013/2014 10th Round – 81KG Won against Teymur Mammadov (AZE) 3:0

2014 – World Series of Boxing Season 2013/2014 8th Round – 81KG Lost to Nikita Ivanov (RUS) 2:1

2013 – World Series of Boxing Season 2013/2014 4th Round – 81KG Won against Hrvoje Sep (CRO) 3:0

2013 – World Series of Boxing Season 2013/2014 2nd Round – 81KG Won against Pawel Stepien (POL) TKO 3rd round

2013 – AIBA World Championships (Almaty, KAZ) 1st place – 81KG Won against Adilbek Niyazymbetov (KAZ) 2:1 in the final; Won against Joseph Ward (IRL) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against Abdelhafid Benchabla (ALG) 3:0 in the quarter-final; Won against Oleksandr Ganzulya (UKR) 3:0 in the second preliminary round; Won against Sergej Michel (GER) 3:0 in the first preliminary round

2013 – Golden Belt Tournament (Constanta, ROM) 1st place – 81KG Won against Abderrahmane Salah Araby (EGY) 3:0 in the final; Won against Radoslav Pantaleev (BUL) 3:0 in the semi-final; Won against John Newell (ENG) KO 3rd round in the quarter-final; Won against Peter Mullenberg (NED) 3:0 in the first preliminary round

2013 – World Series of Boxing Season 2013/2014 Pre-Season Match – 81KG Won against Isaac Munoz (MEX) 3:0

2013 – Cuban National Team Championships 4th place – 81KG Won against Yaikel Kindelan (CUB) 3:0; Won against Georky Barrientos (CUB) 3:0; Won against Alain Jorrin (CUB) TKO 2nd round; Won against Yasmani Rodriguez (CUB) 3:0; Won against Yusmel Iznaga (CUB) 3:0

2013 – Giraldo Cordova Cardin Memorial Tournament (Havana, CUB) 1st place – 81KG Won against Endri Saavedra (VEN) TKO 3rd round in the final; Won against Meng Fanlong (CHN) 3:0 in the semi-final, Won against Vladimir Shishkin (RUS) 3:0 in the quarter-final; Won against Abdelhafid Benchabla (ALG) 3:0 in the first preliminary round

2013 – Independence Cup (Santiago de los Caballeros, DOM) 1st place – 81KG Won against Juan Carlos Almonte (DOM) AB 2nd round in the final; Won against Jonathan Savard (CAN) RSCI 1st round in the semi-final, Won against Luis Alfredo Ramirez (DOM) RSC 2nd round in the quarter-final; Won against Enoc Hualinga (PER) 16:6 in the first preliminary round

2012 – Cuban National Championships 1st place – 81KG Won against Yaikel Kindelan (CUB) 26:8 in the final; Won against Georky Barrientos (CUB) 27:10 in the semi-final; Won against Jorge Hernandez (CUB) 31:2 in the quarter-final; Won against Angelo Morejon (CUB) 21:7 in the first preliminary round

2012 – London 2012 Olympic Games (London, GBR) 7th place – 81KG Lost to Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino (BRA) 18:15 in the quarter-final; Won against Ihab Darweish Al-Matbouli (JOR) 25:8 in the first preliminary round

2012 – Giraldo Cordova Cardin Memorial Tournament (Havana, CUB) 1st place – 81KG Won against Yaikel Kindelan (CUB) 24:8 in the final; Won against Yahya Mkacheri (TUN) AB 2nd round in the semi-final; Won against Nursultan Kozhabekov (KAZ) RSC 3rd round in the quarter-final; Won against Yusiel Napoles (CUB) 18:6 in the first preliminary round

2012 – Republic of Kazakhstan President’s Cup (Almaty, KAZ) 2nd place – 81KG Lost to Adilbek Niyazimbetov (KAZ) 16:10 in the final; Won against Askar Abdullayev (KAZ) AB 1st round in the semi-final; Won against Arman Rysbek (KAZ) 13:5 in the quarter-final

2012 – Grand Prix Usti nad Labem (Usti nad Labem, CZE) 1st place – 81KG Won against Daugirdas Semiotas (LTU) 20:9 in the final; Won against Victor Cotiujanschii (MDA) 19:2 in the semi-final; Won against Peter Mullenberg (NED) 15:3 in the quarter-final; Won against Mihail Dovgalyavets (BLR) 18:7 in the first preliminary round

2012 – Strandja Memorial Tournament (Sofia, BUL) 1st place – 81KG Won against Aleksandar Khotyantsev (RUS) 15:10 in the final; Won against Artur Khachatryan (ARM) 15:4 in the semi-final; Won against Mikhail Dovgalyavets (BLR) 13:5 in the quarter-final

2011 – Cuban National Championships 1st place – 81KG Won against Yaikel Kindelan (CUB) 21:7 in the final; Won against Yusiel Napoles (CUB) 18:7 in the semi-final; Won against Yunier Perez (CUB) AB 2nd round in the quarter-final

2011 – Panamerican Games (Guadalajara, MEX) 1st place – 81KG Won against Yamaguchi Florentino Falcao (BRA) 22:12 in the final; Won against Carlos Gongora (ECU) 19:9 in the semi-final; Won against Jeffrey Spencer (USA) 19:2 in the quarter-final

2011 – AIBA World Championships (Baku, AZE) 1st place – 81KG Won against Adilbek Niyazimbetov (KAZ) 17:13 in the final; Won against Yegor Mekhontsev (RUS) 21:15 in the semi-final; Won against Damien Hooper (AUS) 14:13 in the quarter-final; Won against Enrico Koelling (GER) 8:6 in the third preliminary round; Won against Caner Sayak (TUR) 17:7 in the second preliminary round; Won against Mihail Dovgalyavets (BLR) 25:11 in the first preliminary round

2011 – Bolivarian Alternative Games (Barquismeto, VEN) 1st place – 81KG Won against Jeison Antoni Monroy (COL) RSCI 2nd round in the final; Won against Raul Rodriguez (DOM) RSC 1st round in the semi-final; Won against Osman Bravo (NCA) RSC 2nd round in the quarter-final

2011 – Batalla de Carabobo Tournament (Valencia, VEN) 1st place – 81KG Won against Domingo Tobias (VEN) by points in the final

2011 – Giraldo Cordova Cardin Memorial Tournament (Havana, CUB) 1st place – 81KG Won against Yamaguchi Florentino Falcao (BRA) 27:12 in the final; Won against Yaikel Kindelan (CUB) 20:3 in the semi-final; Won against Joao Batista (MOZ) 38:8 in the quarter-final

2011 – 1st Panamerican Games Qualifier (Cumana, VEN) 1st place – 81KG Won against Carlos Gongora (ECU) 11:7 in the final; Won against Yamaguchi Florentino Falcao (BRA) RSCI 2nd round in the semi-final; Won against Osman Bravo (NCA) RSC 2nd round in the quarter-final; Won against Adrian Biscette (BAR) 28:3 in the first preliminary round

2010 – Golden Gong Tournament (Skopje, MKD) 1st place – 81KG Won against Dzemal Bosnjak (BIH) 3:1 in the final; Won against Marek Matyja (POL) AB 2nd round in the semi-final; Won against Stanislav Starek (CZE) RSC 2nd round in the quarter-final

2010 – AMBC American Continental Championships (Quito, ECU) 2nd place – 81KG Lost to Italo Perea (ECU) 10:9 in the final; Won against Francisco Ortega (MEX) 7:3 in the semi-final; Won against Elmer Salguero (GUA) RSC 3rd round in the quarter-final

2010 – Cuban Olympiad (Camaguey, CUB) 1st place – 81KG Won against Irosvany Duvergel (CUB) 6:4 in the final; Won against Georky Barrientos (CUB) 10:3 in the semi-final; Won against Yaikel Kindelan (CUB) 3:1 in the quarter-final

2010 – Cuban National Championships 1st place – 81KG Won against Georky Barrientos (CUB) 8:1 in the final; Won against Yaikel Kindelan (CUB) 10:0 in the semi-final; Won against Rubisney Hernandez (CUB) 5:0 in the quarter-final

2009 – Cuban National Team Championships 1st place – 81KG Won against Alain Herrera (CUB) AB 1st round; Lost to Yaikel Kindelan (CUB) 5:0; Won against Jose Chapotin (CUB) 11:1; Won against Julio Iglesias (CUB) 4:1; Won against Reinier Castillo (CUB) 14:1

2008 – 1st Panamerican Olympic Qualification Tournament (Port of Spain, TRI) 7th place – 81KG Lost to Christopher Downs (USA) 15:6 in the quarter-final; Won against Eleider Alvarez (COL) 9:0 in the first preliminary round

2008 – Independence Cup (Santiago de los Caballeros, DOM) 1st place – 81KG Won against Julio Castillo (ECU) WO in the final; Won against Azea Augustama (HAI) 7:1 in the semi-final; Won against Washington Luis Silva (BRA) 9:6 in the quarter-final

2008 – Cuban National Championships 1st place – 81KG Won against Yordanis Despaigne (CUB) 14:9 in the final; Won against Yuniel Dorticos (CUB) 22:7 in the semi-final; Won against Yurixander Aguilar (CUB) 13:3 in the quarter-final

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